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United States Patent |
5,188,276
|
Furuya
,   et al.
|
February 23, 1993
|
Method and apparatus for manufacturing motorcar door
Abstract
A door for a motorcar is manufactured by a method in which a door inner
member is assembled by combining accessory parts such as a sash to an
inner panel, a beam is combined to the door inner member and thereafter
the door inner member is assembled to an outer panel. The assembling step
of the door inner member is divided into a tack-welding step for
tack-welding the inner panel and the accessory parts on a welding jig and
a reinforcing-welding step for reinforcing-welding the door inner member
by welding robots. The beam is charged into a reinforcing-welding station
to weld it to the door inner member by the welding robots. An apparatus
has a tack-welding station having disposed therein a welding jig, a
reinforcing-welding station having disposed therein welding robots, an
assembling station having disposed therein an outer panel setting jig, a
first transfer apparatus which is provided with a transfer jig, a second
transfer apparatus which is provided with a transfer jig, a beam charging
apparatus, and a beam setting jig.
Inventors:
|
Furuya; Hiroyuki (Sayama, JP);
Ohtaki; Keizaburo (Sayama, JP)
|
Assignee:
|
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Tokyo, JP)
|
Appl. No.:
|
789499 |
Filed:
|
November 8, 1991 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
| Nov 30, 1990[JP] | 2-128689[U] |
| Nov 30, 1990[JP] | 2-128690[U]JPX |
Current U.S. Class: |
228/6.1; 29/430; 29/897.2; 228/47.1 |
Intern'l Class: |
B23K 037/047 |
Field of Search: |
228/175,102,6.1,47,47 A
29/430,897.2
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
4441645 | Apr., 1984 | Takagishi et al. | 228/47.
|
4767046 | Aug., 1988 | Kumagai et al. | 228/47.
|
Foreign Patent Documents |
60-113782 | Jun., 1985 | JP | 228/47.
|
62-221979 | Sep., 1987 | JP | 29/430.
|
Primary Examiner: Seidel; Richard K.
Assistant Examiner: Knapp; Jeffrey T.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Armstrong, Westerman, Hattori, McLeland & Naughton
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for manufacturing a door for a motorcar in which a door
inner member is assembled by combining accessory parts a beam is combined
to the door inner member and thereafter the door inner member is assembled
to an outer panel, said apparatus comprising in a working line:
a tack-welding station having disposed therein a welding jig for supporting
and tack-welding the inner panel and the accessory parts;
a reinforcing-welding station having disposed therein welding robots;
an assembling station having disposed therein an outer panel setting jig
for supporting the outer panel, said tack-welding station through said
assembling station being arranged in the order as described from a
starting end of said working line;
a first transfer apparatus which is provided with a transfer jig for
holding the door inner member and transferring said inner member by
hanging from said tack-welding station to said reinforcing-welding
station;
a second transfer apparatus which is provided with a transfer jig for
holding the door inner member and transferring said inner member by
hanging from said reinforcing-welding station to said assembling station
to assemble the door inner member to the outer panel held on said outer
panel setting jig;
a beam charging apparatus which is reciprocated between said
reinforcing-welding station and a beam setting station which is provided
on a side of said reinforcing-welding station; and
a beam setting jig which is mounted on said beam charging apparatus for
holding a beam, such that the door inner member can be handed over among
said beam setting jig and said transfer jig of each of said transfer
apparatuses.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
means for docking said welding jig and said transfer jig of said first
transfer apparatus;
means for docking said outer panel setting jig and said transfer jig of
said second transfer apparatus;
a first jig stocking apparatus provided on a side of said tack-welding
station such that said welding jig can be exchanged to and from said
tack-welding station in a condition in which said transfer jig of said
first transfer apparatus is docked with said welding jig; and
a second jig stocking apparatus provided on a side of said assembling
station, such that said outer panel setting jig can be exchanged to and
from said assembling station in a condition in which said transfer jig of
said second transfer apparatus is docked with said outer panel setting
jig.
3. An apparatus according to any of claim 1 or 2, further comprising a
plurality of stocking means provided in a line along a path of travel of
said beam charging apparatus between said reinforcing-welding station and
said beam setting station, said stocking means being arranged to
detachably hold said beam setting jig for handing said beam setting jig
over to and from said beam charging apparatus.
4. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an outer panel
setting station on a side of said assembling station, a stiffener
combining station provided between said assembling station and said outer
panel setting station for setting and combining a stiffener to the outer
panel, and transfer means for transferring the outer panel from said outer
panel setting station to said assembling station through said stiffener
combining station.
5. An apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: a stiffener
feeding apparatus provided on a side of said stiffener combining station;
a setting robot which is reciprocated between said feeding apparatus and
said stiffener combining station; a tool which is mounted on said setting
robot for holding the stiffener such that the stiffener to be supplied by
said feeding apparatus can be transported by said robot to said stiffener
combining station for setting said stiffener to said outer panel; and a
plurality of stocking means provided in a line along a travel path of said
setting robot, each of said stocking means detachably holding said tool
for handing over to and from said setting robot.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method of manufacturing a door for a motorcar
in which a door inner member is assembled by combining accessory parts
such as a sash or the like to an inner panel, a beam is combined to the
door inner member and then the door inner member is assembled to an outer
panel, as well as to an apparatus to be used for carrying out the above
method.
As an apparatus for manufacturing a door for a motorcar, there is
conventionally known one which comprises, in the order from a starting end
of the working line, a fitting station for a door inner member, a
combining station for combining a beam and an assembling station for
assembling the door inner member and an outer panel. In this apparatus,
the door inner member is assembled by welding together an inner panel and
accessory parts such as a sash, a hinge side member or the like which are
set in position on a welding jig which is provided in the fitting station
by welding guns which are provided in the welding jig. Then, the door
inner member is transferred by a transfer apparatus to a welding jig which
is provided in the beam combining station. The beam is set to this door
inner member and is welded thereto by welding guns which are provided in
the welding jig. Thereafter, the door inner member is transferred to a jig
which is provided in the assembling station to assemble the outer panel to
the door inner member. Then, hemming and welding of the hemmed portion are
carried out (see Japanese Published Examined Patent Application No.
3467/1982).
In the above-described apparatus, each of the jigs are specially prepared
for each type of door and, therefore, a plural kinds of jigs must be
prepared to cope with the change in the type of door. In order to complete
the assembling of the door inner member in the fitting station like in the
above-described conventional apparatus, a large number of welding guns
must be mounted on the welding jig to be provided in the fitting station.
The costs for such many welding guns become expensive and therefore it is
not advantageous from economical point of view to prepare so many
expensive welding jigs.
If the number of welding guns to be mounted on the welding jig is reduced,
only tack-welding of the door inner member is carried out in the fitting
station and reinforcing-welding of the door inner member is carried out by
welding robots in the next station, the overall costs of the equipment can
be reduced because the exchanging of the welding robots is not necessary.
However, in such an arrangement, since a reinforcing welding station as the
above-described next station is added between the fitting station and the
beam combining station, the length of the working line becomes longer.
Further, since the welding jig to be provided in the beam combining
station becomes expensive, a drastic reduction in the equipment costs
cannot be expected.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above-described disadvantages, this invention has an object
of providing a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a door for a
motorcar in which the welding jig for the door inner member is made to be
of a low cost with a reduced number of welding guns to be mounted thereon
by carrying out the reinforcing welding of the door inner member by
welding robots, and the welding jig for combining the beam is made
needless, thereby aiming at the reduction of equipment costs, and in which
the length of the working line needs not be increased.
In order to attain the above-described object, according to this invention
method, there is provided a method of manufacturing a door for a motorcar
in which a door inner member is assembled by combining accessory parts
such as a sash to an inner panel, a beam is combined to the door inner
member and thereafter the door inner member is assembled to an outer
panel, characterized in: that an assembling step of the door inner member
is divided into a tack-welding step for tack-welding the inner panel and
the accessory parts on a welding jig and a reinforcing-welding step for
reinforcing-welding the door inner member by welding robots; and that the
beam is charged into a reinforcing-welding station for the
reinforcing-welding step to weld it to the door inner member by the
welding robots.
According to this invention apparatus, there is provided an apparatus for
manufacturing a door for a motorcar comprising in a working line: a
tack-welding station having disposed therein a welding jig for supporting
and tack-welding an inner panel and accessory parts; a reinforcing-welding
station having disposed therein welding robots; an assembling station
having disposed therein an outer panel setting jig for supporting an outer
panel, the tack-welding station through the assembling station being
arranged in the order as described from a starting end of the working
line. The apparatus further comprises: a first transfer apparatus which is
provided with a transfer jig for holding a door inner member and transfers
it by hanging from the tack-welding station to the reinforcing-welding
station; a second transfer apparatus which is provided with a transfer jig
for holding the door inner member and transfers it by hanging from the
reinforcing-welding station to the assembling station to assemble the door
inner member to the outer panel held on the outer panel setting jig; a
beam charging apparatus which is reciprocated between the
reinforcing-welding station and a beam setting station which is provided
on a side of the reinforcing-welding station; and a beam setting jig which
is mounted on the beam charging apparatus for holding a beam, such that
the door inner member can be handed over among the beam setting jig and
the transfer jig of each of the transfer apparatuses.
The door inner member which has been tack-welded by the welding jig in the
tack-welding station is transported to the reinforcing-welding station by
hanging with the transfer jig of the first transfer apparatus. Then, in
the reinforcing-welding station, the door inner member is
reinforcing-welded by the welding robots while it is held by the transfer
jig of the first transfer apparatus. During this welding work, the beam
charging apparatus is advanced from the beam setting station to the
reinforcing-welding station. The door inner member, after welding, is
handed over from the transfer jig to the beam setting jig of the beam
setting apparatus. According to this operation, the beam on the setting
jig is connected to the door inner member and, in this condition, the beam
is welded to the door inner member with the welding robots.
After this welding has been finished, the door inner member is handed over
from the beam setting jig to the transfer jig of the second transfer
apparatus and is hung up for transporting by the second transfer apparatus
from the reinforcing-welding station to the assembling station. There, the
door inner member is assembled to the outer panel which is being held by
the outer panel setting jig.
As described above, since the reinforcing-welding of the door inner member
is carried out by the welding robots, the welding jig for assembling the
door inner member may be of less expensive one only for carrying out the
tack-welding. Further, since the combining of the beam to the door inner
member is also carried out by the same welding robots, a welding jig for
combining the beam is not required any more. In addition, the
reinforcing-welding of the door inner member and the combining of the beam
can be carried out in the same station. Therefore, the equipment costs can
be reduced and the working line length needs not be increased.
Furthermore, the reinforcing-welding can be carried out while the door
inner member is held by the first transfer apparatus, and the beam can be
welded by handing over the door inner member to the beam charging
apparatus. Therefore, no special jig needs be provided in the
reinforcing-welding station. This brings about a further reduction of
equipment costs.
Each of the above-described jigs is specially prepared for each type of
door and, therefore, the jig must be exchanged or replaced every time the
type of the door is changed. Therefore, it can be considered to provide a
jig stocking apparatus respectively on a side of the tack-welding station
and on a side of the assembling station in order to replace the welding
jig o the outer panel setting jig by exchanging the jigs between each of
the above-described stations and each of the stocking apparatuses,
respectively. In this case, by employing the following arrangement, each
of the transfer jigs can be replaced without the operator's entering the
working line, resulting in an easier exchanging work. Namely, the
arrangement is that there are provided means for docking or connecting the
transfer jig of the first transfer apparatus with the the welding jig and
means for docking or connecting the transfer jig of the second transfer
apparatus with the outer panel setting jig so that the welding jig and the
outer panel setting jig may be exchanged in a condition in which each of
the transfer jigs is docked with each of the jigs.
For the purpose of exchanging the beam setting jig of the beam charging
apparatus, it is also considered to provide, on a side of the beam setting
station, a stocking place for stocking a plurality of beam setting jigs
depending on the type of the door so that the jig may be exchanged by
moving the beam charging apparatus to the stocking place. In this
arrangement, however, a space exclusively for stocking the beam setting
jigs must be secured. This brings about a poorer space efficiency as well
as a need to move the beam charging apparatus beyond the normal travelling
area whenever the jig is exchanged, resulting in more time in exchanging
the jig. If, on the the contrary, a plurality of stocking means are
provided in a line along a path of travel of the beam charging apparatus
between the reinforcing-welding station and the beam setting station, the
stocking means being arranged to detachably hold the beam setting jig for
handing it over to and from the beam charging apparatus, the space above
the travel path of the normal travelling area of the beam charging
apparatus can be utilized as a stocking space for the beam setting jig.
This brings about an increased space efficiency and enables to efficiently
and automatically exchange the jig within the normal travelling area.
It is necessary to combine a stiffener to the outer panel in advance. It is
desired to closely lay out the door manufacturing step inclusive of the
stiffener assembling step in order to attain an improved space efficiency.
Therefore, according to another feature of this invention, there are
provided an outer panel setting station on a side of the assembling
station, a stiffener combining station between the assembling station and
the outer panel setting station to set and combine a stiffener to the
outer panel, and transfer means to transfer the outer panel from the outer
panel setting station to the assembling station through the stiffener
combining station.
When the stiffener is assembled to the outer panel, if the stiffener is
welded to the outer panel by directly pinching the welding portion of the
outer panel with a welding gun, there will remain pinching marks o the
external surface of the outer panel. Therefore, it is conventionally
practiced to provided a backing bar for welding provided with pads which
abut that external surface of the outer panel at which the stiffener is
attached. Welding of the stiffener attaching portion is thus carried out
by pinching, with the welding gun, the portion at which the stiffener is
attached, via the pads of the backing bar. The backing bar is specially
prepared for each type of door, and it is necessary to exchange the
backing bar whenever the type of the door is changed. As an exchanging
apparatus, there is known one, in the Japanese Published Examined Utility
Model Registration Application No. 27989/1990, in which a rotary shaft
capable of index-rotating is provided on an apparatus frame, a plurality
of backing bars are mounted on the periphery of the shaft, and an
arbitrary one of the backing bars can be selected to a predetermined
operating position by the rotation of the shaft. In this arrangement,
however, it is necessary to mount the backing bars in the periphery of the
rotary shaft at a required pitch angle in order to prevent the
interference of the welding gun with the neighboring backing bars. It is
therefore not possible to mount many backing bars on the rotary shaft.
On the contrary, if there is provided in the stiffener combining station an
exchanging apparatus comprising a pair of circularly driven chains
parallelly disposed at a distance from each other in a longitudinal
direction of the backing bars such that a plurality of the backing bars
are laterally mounted across the chains at a distance between each of the
backing bars in a direction of circulation so that an arbitrary one of the
backing bars can be selected in a predetermined operating position by the
circulating drive of the chains, the shape of the circulating path of the
chains can be freely determined by the arrangement of sprockets.
Therefore, even if the pitch at which the backing bars are arranged is
made relatively smaller, the interference between the welding gun and the
backing bars can be prevented by setting the circulating path away from
the operating area of the welding gun. Accordingly, it becomes possible to
carry out the exchanging of many backing bars with a relatively small
apparatus.
In order to securely hold the backing bar that has been selected at the
operating position, it is preferable to provide a locking means to engage
with the backing bar. When welding is carried out with the backing bar
which has been locked in the operating position, it frequently occurs that
sputtered particles are spread over the backing bars at positions other
than the operating position. In order to prevent the spreading of these
sputtered particles, it is preferable to provide between the chains a
sputter cover to protect the backing bars from the sputtered particles. In
this case, the sputter cover is made to be folded inwardly inside the
travel path of the backing bars. In this arrangement, the chains are
driven in a condition in which the sputter cover is folded, thus
preventing the sputter cover from interfering with the backing bars.
In addition, in order to automate the work of setting the stiffener to the
outer panel, it is preferable to provide a stiffener feeding apparatus on
a side of the stiffener combining station, a setting robot which is
reciprocated between the feeding apparatus and the stiffener combining
station, and a tool which is mounted on the setting robot for holding the
stiffener such that the stiffener to be supplied by the feeding apparatus
can be transported by the robot to the stiffener combining station for
setting it to the outer panel. Here, since the tool is specially prepared
for each type of door, it becomes necessary to exchange the tool whenever
the type of door is changed. In this case, if there are provided, in a
line along a travel path of the setting robot, a plurality of stocking
means each of which detachably holds the tool for handing over the tool to
and from the setting robot, it is possible, like in the case of the
exchanging of the above-described beam setting jig, to improve the space
efficiency and to attain an increased efficiency in the exchanging work.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other objects and the attendant advantages of this invention
will become readily apparent by reference to the following detailed
description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings
wherein:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of an example of this invention apparatus;
FIG. 2 is a side view viewed from the line II--II in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a front view of a tack-welding station viewed from the direction
of an arrow III in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a beam setting jig;
FIG. 5 is a left side view thereof;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line VI--VI in FIG. 4;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged side view of a stocking apparatus for a beam setting
jig viewed from the line VII--VII in FIG. 1;
FIG. 8 is a plan view of a welding jig;
FIG. 9 is a right side view of FIG. 8;
FIG. 10 is a front view of a stiffener combining station viewed from the
line X--X in FIG. 1;
FIG. 11 is a side view of a stiffener setting robot viewed from the line
XI--XI in FIG. 10;
FIG. 12 is a rear view of the stiffener setting robot viewed from the
direction of an arrow XII in FIG. 11;
Fi9. 13 is an enlarged front view of a stocking apparatus for stiffener
holding tools viewed from the direction of an arrow XIII in Fi9. 11;
FIG. 14 is an enlarged plan view of a stiffener assembling station viewed
from the direction of an arrow XIV--XIV in FIG. 10;
FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken along the line XV--XV in FIG. 14;
FIG. 16 is a side view of a backing bar exchanging apparatus viewed from
the direction of an arrow XVI in FIG. 14;
FIG. 17 is a front view viewed from the left side in FIG. 16;
FIG. 18 is a side view of a door viewed from the side of an inner member
thereof; and
FIGS. 19 and 20 are sectional views taken along the lines XIX--XIX and
XX--XX, respectively, in FIG. 18.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An illustrated embodying example is for manufacturing a motorcar door W as
shown in FIG. 18. The door W is manufactured in the following manner.
Namely, a beam W.sub.5 is combined to a door inner member W.sub.4 which is
constituted by combining, as shown in FIG. 19, a sash W.sub.2 and a hinge
side member W.sub.3 to an inner panel W.sub.1 having formed therein a
plurality of window openings W.sub.1a for maintenance purpose or the like.
The door inner member W.sub.4 is then assembled to an outer panel W.sub.6
and the periphery of the outer panel W.sub.6 is hemmed as shown in FIGS.
19 and 20. This hemmed portion is then welded, thus completing the
manufacturing of the motorcar door W. A stiffener W.sub.7 is welded to an
upper inner surface of the outer panel W.sub.6.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, numeral 1 denotes a tack-welding station which
is provided at a starting end of a working line. In front of this
tack-welding station 1, there are provided a reinforcing-welding station 2
and, still in front thereof, an assembling station 3. A welding jig 4 is
provided in the tack-welding station 1, a plurality of welding robots 5
are provided in the reinforcing welding station 2 and an outer panel
setting jig 6 is provided in the assembling station 3. In the working
line, there are provided a suspended type of first transfer apparatus 7
which can be reciprocated between the tack-welding station 1 and the
reinforcing-welding station 2, as well as a suspended type of second
transfer apparatus 8 which can be reciprocated between the
reinforcing-welding station 2 and the assembling station 3. There are
further provided a beam charging apparatus 10 which can be reciprocated
between the reinforcing-welding station 2 and a beam setting station 9
which is provided on a side of the reinforcing welding station 2, as well
as a transfer apparatus 12 which can be reciprocated between the
assembling station 3 and an outer panel setting station 11 which is
provided on a side of the assembling station 3. In the tack-welding
station 1, the inner panel W.sub.1, the sash W.sub.2 and the hinge side
member W.sub.3 are set in position to the welding jig 4 and are
tack-welded on the welding jig 4 to assemble the door inner member
W.sub.4. The door inner member W.sub.4 is transported to the
reinforcing-welding station 2 by making it held by a transfer jig 7a which
is provided in the first transfer apparatus 7. After the door inner member
W.sub.4 is subjected to reinforcing-welding in the reinforcing-welding
station 2 by the welding robots 5, the beam W.sub.5 to be charged into the
reinforcing-welding station 2 by being held by a beam setting jig 10a
which is provided in the beam charging apparatus 10, is welded by the
welding robots 5 to the door inner member W.sub.4. Thereafter, the door
inner member W.sub.4 is transported to the assembling station 3 by making
it held by a transfer jig 8a which is provided in the second transfer
apparatus 8. The door inner member W.sub.4 is assembled to the outer panel
W.sub.6 which is transported and set in position to the outer panel
setting jig 6 by the transfer apparatus 12.
Each of the first and the second transfer apparatuses 7, 8 comprises: a
travelling frame 7b, 8b which is movable back and forth along a common
guide frame 13 which is provided in a ceiling portion of the working line;
a lifting frame 7c, 8c which is supported on the travelling frame 7b, 8b
and is movable up and down; and the above-described transfer jig 7a, 8a
which is detachably suspended from the lifting frame 7c, 8c via a tool
holder 7d, 8d. The travelling frames 7b, 8b of the transfer apparatuses 7,
8 are connected to each other by a connecting bar 14. In this manner, it
is so arranged that, when the travelling frame 8b is reciprocated by a
travelling electric motor 8e mounted on the travelling frame 8b of the
second transfer apparatus 8 between the assembling station 3 and the
reinforcing welding station 2, the travelling frame 7b of the first
transfer apparatus 7 can be reciprocated between the reinforcing welding
station 2 and the tack-welding station 1. At a lower end of the lifting
frame 8c of the second transfer apparatus 8, there is provided a wrist
member 8f which has a freedom of two-axis movements in the forward and
backward movement and the forward and backward swinging. The transfer jig
8a is suspended from the wrist member 8f via the tool holder 8d. Through
the movements of the wrist member 8f, the posture of the door inner member
W.sub.4 is controlled so that it can be set to the outer panel W.sub.6
without its interfering with bent edges W.sub.6a for hemming of the outer
panel W.sub.6. Each of the transfer jigs 7a, 8a is provided with a
plurality of holding devices 7a1, 8a1 for holding the door inner member
W.sub.4 at opening edge portions or the like of the window openings
W.sub.1a of the inner panel W.sub.1.
The beam charging apparatus 10 comprises: a travelling base 10d which is
reciprocated between the reinforcing welding station 2 and the beam
setting station 9 by an electric motor 10c along guide rails 10b which are
laid between the two stations 2, 9; a slide base 10e which is mounted on
the travelling base 10d and is movable at right angles to the travelling
direction of the travelling base 10d, i.e., in the forward-backward
direction; a lifting table 10f which is supported on the slide base 10e;
and the above-described beam setting jig 10a which is detachably mounted
on the lifting table 10f via a tool holder 10g. The jig 10a is provided,
as shown in FIGS. 4 through 6, with a pair of workpiece receiving members
10.sub.a1 for supporting the beam W.sub.5 and a plurality of clamping
devices 10.sub.a2 for positioning and supporting the door inner member
W.sub.4 by clamping the inner panel W.sub.1 at opening edges of the
opening windows W.sub.1a. In the setting station 9 the beam W.sub. 5 is
set in position to the workpiece receiving members 10.sub.a1 on the beam
setting jig 10a, and the travelling base 10d is advanced to the
reinforcing-welding station 2. Thereafter, the slide base 10e is moved
forwards, the lifting table 10f is lifted and the transfer jig 7a of the
first transfer apparatus 7 is lowered to hand over the reinforcing-welded
door inner member W.sub.4 which is held by the transfer jig 7a to the beam
setting jig 10a. While the door inner member W.sub.4 is thus supported
after aligning by the clamping devices 10.sub.a2, the beam W.sub.5 which
is supported by the workpiece receiving member 10.sub.a1 is connected to a
predetermined position of the door inner member W.sub.4. In this
condition, the beam W.sub.5 is welded to the door inner member W.sub.4 by
the welding robots 5.
The beam setting jig 10a must be changed depending on the type of door.
Therefore, a plurality of stockers 16 for the setting jigs 10a are
provided on an apparatus frame 15 which is extended over the travel path
of the beam charging apparatus 10. As shown in FIG. 7, the stocker 16
comprises a lifting bar 16bwhich is suspended from a bracket 15a on the
apparatus frame 15 and is movable up and down by a cylinder 16a, and a
pair of claw pieces 16e which are provided at a lower end of the lifting
bar 16b and are opened and closed by a cylinder 16c via a toggle link 16d.
The claw pieces 16e are engaged with a hook 10.sub.a3 which is fixedly
provided on an upper central portion of the setting jig 10a so that the
setting jig 10a may be detachably suspended. When the jig is to be
exchanged, the beam charging apparatus 10 is moved to a position right
below an empty stocker 16 to let the stocker receive the setting jig 10a
which has finished its operation. Then, the beam charging apparatus 10 is
moved to a position right below a particular stocker 16 which is
suspending a setting jig 10a to be used next, thus handing over the
setting jig 10a to the beam charging apparatus 10.
The welding jig 4 comprises, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9: a plurality of
clamping pieces 4a for positioning and clamping the inner panel W.sub.1,
the sash W.sub.2 and the hinge side member W.sub.3 ; and a plurality of
welding guns 4b for welding at minimum required points the overlapped
portions of the sash W.sub.2 and the hinge side member W.sub.3,
respectively, against the inner panel W.sub.1 in order to prevent them
from becoming separated from each other. As shown in FIG. 2, the welding
jig 4 is mounted on a jig base 17 which is erected and laid down by a
cylinder 17a about an axis 17b at a rear end of the jig base 17. While the
jig base 17 is erected backwards by the movement of the jig base 17, the
workpieces such as the inner panel W.sub.1 or the like are set in position
to the welding jig 4 in this condition from the rear end.
On a side of the tack-welding station 1, there is provided, as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 3, a jig stocking apparatus 18.sub.1 comprising stock bases
18b which have rails 18a for supporting the welding jig 4 and are arranged
in a plurality of vertical stages so as to be movable up and down. On the
jig base 17, there are provided locking cylinders 17c for locking the
welding jig 4, and rails 17e which are movable up and down by cylinders
17d. By lifting the rails 17e in a condition in which the locking by the
locking cylinders 17c is released, the welding jig 4 is supported on the
rails 17e and the welding jig 4 is thus made to be exchangeable between
the stock base 18b and the jig base 17. On the welding jig 4 there is
vertically provided a plurality of poles 4c which can be docked or
connected with the transfer jig 7a of the first transfer apparatus 7. Both
jigs 4 and 7a are thus made to be exchangeable in one set by docking the
transfer jig 7a with the welding jig 4 at the poles 4c.
The above-described outer panel setting jig 6 is provided with a plurality
of supporting devices 6a for supporting the outer panel W.sub.6 and a
conveyor 6b which has a pair of belts 6.sub.b1 and is movable up and down.
The setting jig 6 is mounted on a jig base 19 which is rotatable by a
cylinder 19a provided in the assembling station 3 so that the setting jig
6 can be converted between a laterally oriented posture and a
longitudinally oriented posture through the rotation of the jig base 19 at
90 degrees in one and the reverse directions. In a condition in which the
setting jig 6 is in the laterally oriented posture, the outer panel
W.sub.6 is set in position to the supporting devices 6a via the transfer
apparatus 12. In this condition, the door inner member W.sub.4 is
assembled to the outer panel W.sub.6 as described above by the second
transfer apparatus 8. Then, the setting jig 6 is changed to the
longitudinally oriented posture and the conveyor 6b is lifted to support
the door W on the belts 6.sub.b1. The door W is then discharged by driving
the belts 6.sub.b1 by a conveyor motor 6.sub.b2 to the next step in which
hemming is carried out.
A jig stocking apparatus 18.sub.2, which is similar to the one described
above, is provided also on a side of the assembling station 3. A plurality
of poles 6c which can be docked or connected with the transfer jig 8a of
the second transfer apparatus 8 are vertically provided on the setting jig
6. In a condition in which the transfer jig 8a is docked with the setting
jig 6, the setting jig 6 cna be exchanged between the jig base 19 and the
stocking base 18b of the stocking apparatus 18.sub.2.
In an intermediate position between the assembling station 3 and the outer
panel setting station 11 which is located on a side of the assembling
station 3, there is provided a stiffener combining station 20. The
transfer apparatus 12 is so arranged that the outer panel W.sub.6 is
intermittently sent from the setting station 11 to the assembling station
3 through the combining station 20 so that the stiffener W.sub.7 can be
welded to the outer panel W.sub.6 at the combining station 20.
More detailed explanations are made referring to FIGS. 1 and 10. A
stiffener feeding apparatus 21 is provided on one side of the combining
station 20 and there are provided a welding robot 22 on the other side
thereof and a sealing robot 23 on an upper portion of the other side
thereof. A setting robot 25 is mounted on an apparatus frame 24 which is
laterally provided in a space above the travel path of the transfer
apparatus 12. The stiffener W.sub.7 is picked up from the feeding
apparatus 21 one at a time by the setting robot 25. After a sealing agent
is applied to the stiffener W.sub.7 by the sealing robot 23, the stiffener
W.sub.7 is set to the outer panel W.sub.6 by the setting robot 25. In this
condition, the stiffener W.sub.7 is welded by the welding robot 22 to the
outer panel W.sub.6.
The stiffener feeding apparatus 21 comprises: a transfer unit 21.sub.1
which is made up by arranging a plurality of holding devices 21c for the
stiffeners W.sub.7 at an equal pitch on a lifting frame 21b supported on a
movable frame 21a which is movable back and forth, and a feeding unit
21.sub.2 which is made up by attaching holding devices 21e, at a
predetermined pitch, to chains 21d which are driven in a circulating
manner. In a condition in which the stiffeners W.sub.7 are inserted into
the holding devices 21c of the transfer unit 21.sub.1, the movable frame
21a is advanced and then the lifting frame 21b is lowered. The stiffeners
W.sub.7 are thus handed over to the holding devices 21.sub.e of the
feeding unit 21.sub.2. Then, by advancing the holding devices 21e by one
pitch at a time through the intermittent operation of the chains 21d, the
stiffeners W.sub.7 are picked up by the setting robot 25 at a
predetermined position.
The setting robot 25 comprises, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12: a travelling
frame 25c which is reciprocated between a receiving position on the side
of the feeding apparatus 21 and a setting position on the side of the
stiffener combining station 20 via a rack-and-pinion mechanism 25b by an
electric motor 25a along rails 24a on the apparatus frame 24; and a
lifting frame 25e which is provided on the travelling frame 25c and is
movable up and down via an internal rack-and-pinion mechanism by an
electric motor 25d. At a lower end of the lifting frame 25e, there is
provided a movable frame 25h which is movable back and forth in a
direction at right angles to the direction of travel of the travelling
frame 25c (i.e., the longitudinal direction of the stiffener). On the
movable frame 25h, there is rotatably supported a chuck unit 25j which is
rotated by an electric motor 25i via internal gear wheels. The chuck unit
25j detachably holds a bar-shaped tool 251 which extends in the
longitudinal direction of the stiffener W.sub.7 by means of a connecting
pin 25m at a rear end of the tool 251. The tool 251 is provided with a
plurality of clamping devices 25k for holding the stiffener W.sub.7. When
the setting robot 25 is retreated to the receiving position, the stiffener
W.sub.7 is picked up from the feeding apparatus 21 by being clamped by the
tool 251. Then, the setting robot 25 is advanced to the setting position.
At the same time, the tool 251 is rotated via the chuck unit 25j about its
axial line to control the posture of the stiffener W.sub.7, and the
sealing agent is applied thereto by the sealing robot 23. Then, through
the rotation of the tool 251, the stiffener W.sub.7 is made to a
predetermined set posture to set it to the outer panel W.sub.6. The tool
251 is specially prepared for each type of door. For the exchanging of the
tool 251, there is provided on the apparatus frame 24 a stocking apparatus
26 which holds a plurality of tools 251.
The stocking apparatus 26 comprises, as shown in FIG. 13: a bracket 26a
which is fixedly provided on a front surface of the apparatus frame 24; a
slide frame 26b which is mounted on the bracket 26a and is movable
sideways by a cylinder 26.sub.b1 to advance and retreat; and a plurality
of stockers 26f arranged in a line along the travel path of the setting
robot 25, each stoker having a pair of claw pieces 26e which can be opened
and closed by a cylinder 26c via a toggle link 26d to hold a T-shaped
projection 25n which is provided on an upper surface of the rear end of
the tool 251. In a condition in which the setting robot 25 is moved to a
position corresponding to a predetermined stocker 26f, the movable frame
25h of the robot 25 is advanced so that the projection 25n of the tool 251
is positioned right under the stocker 26f. Then, through the movement of
the lifting frame 25e, the tool 251 is lifted and the projection 25n is
inserted into a space between the pair of claw pieces 26e of the stocker
26f. After the claw pieces 26e are closed in this condition to hold the
projection 25n, the chucking of the chuck unit 25j is released and the
movable frame 26b is retreated. The connecting pin 25m at the rear end of
the tool 251 is detached from the chuck unit 25j and the tool 251 is
handed over to the stocker 26f. The tool 251 is handed over from the
stocker 25f to the setting robot 25 by the operations that are opposite to
those described above.
Even if the setting robot 25 is moved to a retreated position which
corresponds to the receiving position, the tool 251 does not move up to a
position right below those stockers 26f that are positioned rather at an
end portion of the apparatus frame 24. When the tool 251 is to be handed
over to one of those stockers 26f that are positioned rather at the end
portion, the sliding frame 26b is moved so that the stocker 26f is
positioned right above the tool 251.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 10, the stiffener combining station 20 is
provided, on one side of the transfer apparatus 12, with holding devices
27 for holding that edge portion of the outer panel W.sub.6 which is
opposite to the edge to which the stiffener W.sub.7 is welded and, on the
other side of the transfer apparatus 12, with a backing bar 28 for
supporting the edge to which the stiffener W.sub.7 is welded. The backing
bar 28 is provided, as shown in FIG. 14, with a plurality of pads 28a
which abut, at each of the welding positions, that external edge of the
outer panel W.sub.6 to which the stiffener W.sub.7 is welded, as well as
suction devices 28b. As shown in FIG. 15, the stiffener W.sub.7 and the
pad 28a are pinched by a welding gun 22a which is mounted on the welding
robot 22 and then charged with an electric current. It is thus so arranged
that the stiffener W.sub.7 can be welded to the outer panel W.sub.6
without leaving spot marks on the outer panel W.sub.6.
Specially desi9ned backing bars 28 are also prepared for each type of door
model. An exchanging apparatus 29 is therefore provided for automatically
exchanging the backing bars 28 at the time of change in the door type.
The exchanging apparatus 29 comprises, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17: a pair
of supporting frames 29a, 29a which are vertically provided at a distance
from each other in a longitudinal direction of the backing bar 28; and
sprockets 29b which are rotatably supported on the supporting frames 29a,
29a in three vertical stages on each side; and rotatably supported driving
sprockets 29c at a lower rear portion. Backing bars 28 are laterally
disposed on a pair of chains 29d which are extended over these sprockets
29b, 29c, in the direction of circulation of the chains 29d at a distance
between each of the backing bars 28. The driving sprockets 29c are driven
by electric motors 29e so that an arbitrary one of the backing bars 28 can
be selected to be positioned at an upper operating position. The backing
bars 28 are thus made to be exchangeable depending on the type of the
door. The backing bar 28 that has been selected to be positioned in the
operating position is locked by locking members 29g which are provided at
an upper end of each supporting frames 29a and are advanced or retreated
by cylinders 29f. A sputter cover 29h is provided in a space between the
supporting frames 29a to prevent the sputtered particles from spreading
over that backing bars 28 which are positioned other than at the operating
position. The cover 29h is constructed so as to be folded upwards by a
cylinder 29i via a link 29j to prevent its interfering with the backing
bar 28 at the time of its exchanging.
It is readily apparent that the above-described has the advantage of wide
commercial utility. It should be understood that the specific form of the
invention hereinabove described is intended to be representative only, as
certain modifications within the scope of these teachings will be apparent
to those skilled in the art.
Accordingly, reference should be made to the following claims in
determining the full scope of the invention.
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